Apparatus for disposing of oil-laden drainage.



G. V. ELLIS.

APPARATUS POR DISPOSING 0F OIL LADEN DRAINAGE.

APPLIOATION FILED 11:13.23, 1912.

1,041,050. Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

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. .55 mer `Constituting GEORGE v. Ennis, 0E -EEW Yoan, 1v. Y.

APPARATUS FOR DISPGSING- YO'i OIL-LADEN DRA'JNAGrE.4

' Specification o1! Letters' Patent.

Patented Oct. 15,1912.

Application led February '23, 1912. Serial No. 679,527.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE V. EiiLis, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the borough of Bronx, city, county, and

I5 State'of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Apparatus for Disposing of Oil-Laden Drainage, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

vMy invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for theseparation Iof oils or other liquids which may separate from sewage, andfor separately disposing of the oils and the remaining portion of thesewage.

Although my invention may-be employed in connection with the sewagesystem of any building, or might even be used for separating oilsfrom'liquids, not necessarily sewage, yet the main use for which myinvention is designed is in garages or other buildings where automobilesare stored and cleaned, as the waste from such buildings usuallycontains a large percentage of gasolene, lubricating oils and the like.By the use of my improved apparatus these oils, and particularly thegasolene is prevented from flowing into the sewer and the danger ofexplosion oi gasolene vapor in the sewer is avoided. In my improvedconstruction the sewage flows through a chamber or tank, constitutingthe separating tank and from which the gasolene lubricating oils orother lighter liquids all of which, will be hereinafter referred to;` asoils, may flow ofi:l to an oil collecting tank. When this last mentionedtank is 'filled the mechanism is automatically set in motion for forcingthe contents out ofthe tank and delivering it to any desired receivingpoint.

My invention involves certain special features ofconstruction andcombinations of parts which will be fully set forth hereinafter'andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying dr`awin'g,.for iiing a partof this specification, .and illustrating a side elevation of an.apparatus constructed in ao/cordance with my invention, portions' ofthe tanks and connections being broken away to show the interiorconstruction.

In the specific yform illustrated I employ."v

two tanks or chambers 10 and 11; the forthe separating tank and4 vpreventing the latter constituting the oil collecting tank. The sewageenters the tank 10 through a supply conduit 12, which is provided with acheck valve (not shown) to prevent the return flow of the sewage. Theinlet 12 enters intermediate of the top and bottom of the tank and belowthe normal liquid level of the tank. The outlet of the conduit 13 isconnected to the bottom of the tank, and out through which the main bodyof the sewage and the sediment may flow. Outlet conduit 13 includes anelbow rising outside of the tank, so as to maintain the liquid level inthe tank at approximately the point indicated. The tank is preferablyconical or inclined at the bottom so that all of the .sediment willsettle to the outlet of the conduit.

The oil collecting tank 11 is similar in construction to the separatingtank 10, and has 'an outlet conduit 14 connected to its lowermost pointand rising to any elevation to which it is desired to deliver separatedoils. The two tanks are connected together' by a conduit 15 disposedsubstantially, horizontally and at approximately the normal liquid levelin the tank 10. The conduit 15 has a check valve 16 to prevent thereturn flow of oil from the tank 11 to the tank 10 and intermediate theends of' the conduit 15, I connect a return conduit 17 leading back tothe tank 10 below the liquid level in .the latter. The return conduit 17has a check valve 18 to prevent the entrance of liquid thereto from thetank 10, and at the point where the conduit 17 joins the conduit 15there is a coupling 19 of such form that any sediment or heavier liquidwill settle into the conduit 17 and return to the tank 10. Opposite theinlet end, conduit 17, the coupling carries a screen 2O which aids inseparating any sediment from the liquid and preventing it from flowinginto the tank 11. Furthermore, it acts as a battleA to collect particlesof water carried along with the oil and to direct them down into theconduit/17. The end of the screen is spaced a slight distance from thelower side ofthe coupling so that the sediment en gaged with the outersurface of the screenmay fall down into the conduit 17. For the solidmatter in the sewage andthe main body ofthe sediment from -reaching theconduit 15 I provide a horizontal screen 21 in the tank 10 above theinlet 12 and below the n @una i5. what-- ever solid matter tends tofloat to the top in the tank 10 will be caught by this screen.

When the tank is eptied as will be moreV the board there are twobranches 23 and 24.

The branch 23 leads to a coupling 24a and the diaphragms of twoautomatic valves 25 and 26. From the coupling a conduit 27 extends tothe oil tank 11 and within the oil tank is a 'valve 28, and any suitablemeans for normally holding this valve shut, but opening it when the oilin the tan/k to a predetermined level. In the specific form illustratedI employ a reverse acting ball cock and oat 29. r1`his valve is normallyclosed and at the coupling 24a there is a manually operated valve 30,which is normally open. 'The compressed air line thus reaches to thevalve-28 and acts on the diaphragms of the two valves 25 and 26. Thevalve 26 is in the conduit 24aL and the action of the compressed air isto hold the valve closed. Beyond this valve the conduit has a branch 31which extends to the vicinity of the tanks and connects to two bran/cli"conduits 32 and 33 leading to theinterior In each branch there is of thetwo'tanks. a manually controlled valve whereby either branch may beclosed independently of the other. The valve 25 is in a branch conduit33 .leading from the branch 31 andbeyond the valve 25 the said branchterminates in a vent, the size of which may be controlled by aregulating valve 34. The compressed air maybe shut off-from flowing tothe valve V26 by a manually operated valve 35 and the pressure in theline may be indicated by a gage 36 connected to the coupling 24*L andhaving a shut-oit' cock 37'. The tank 10 h as a vent pipe 38 normallyopen and permitting the escape of gases from the tank. In'

this pipe there is a reverse acting check valve 39 which will close uponthe delivery of compressed air to the tank 10 so as to.

prevent the escape of the compressed air and automatically open upon therelieving of the pressure. I

The operation of my improved apparatus is substantially as follows: Thecompressed air is normally. prevented from escaping by the closed valves26 and 28. When the oil rises in the tank 1l to such a level that thefloat opens the valve 28, the `compressed air in the pipe 27 can escape,'and the pres- 7 sure againstv the. two diaphragms will be relieved. Thevalve 26 will then open and the valve 25 will close by the action -ofthe springs associated with the diaphragms. I have not illustrated thesevalves operating mechanisms in detail as they may be of any well knownform. As soon as the valve 26 is opened the air will flow through thepipe t 31 to both of the tanks 10 and 11 and the oil will be forced outthrough the pipe 14 and the sewage will be forced out through the pipe13. The liquid in dropping away through the screen 21 will permit thesolid bodies or lparticles' which may have col-` lected on the undersideto drop away, and thus the screenwill be automatically cleaned. As soonas the oil level drops a predetermined distance the valve 28 will close,and the pressure in the pipe 27 will increase and the diaphragme will beacted upon to close the valve 26 and openr the valve 25. 'Ihe 'air inthe two tanks will lbe under pressure as the reverse check valve closedas soon as the compressed air started to rush up the vent pipe 38. Nomore compressed air will enter the two tanks after the valve 26 closes,but the air which is already in the tanks will expand and the ejectingaction will continue until both tanks are approximately empty. The timeduring which the air will continue to expand and force out the oil andsewage is regulated by the valve 34. This valve is 'adjusted to such aposition that the air can escape therethrough only very slowly. When thepressure in the two tanks has decreased to atmospheric pressure thecheck valve 39 will open and the parts will again be in normal positionready for the admission of more sewage. As soon as the tank 10 fillswith oil and sewage the oil will begin passing over to the tank 11 andaccumulate therein until the valve 28 is again opened and the operationabove described repeated. f y

Various changes may be made in the construction and operation of myimproved apparatus within the scope of the appended claims withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention, as it is evident that themechanism might be varied and still secure substantially the sameresults. I It will be observed .that the discharge pipe 13 standingalongside of the tank or reservoir 10 maintains the drainage or sewageinsaid tank at a predetermined llevel, z'. ve. the level lof the outletfrom the pipe 13, and Vit will also be perceived that the oil outletpipe 15 being above the level of'the l outlet pipe 13, willy cause abody of oil 'to be maintained in the tank 12 on top Vof the sewage ordrainage. In this body of oil a screen 21 is located, and in the normaloperation of the machine" the screen is submerged horizontally in saidoil'body. This keeps the screen moist and prevents particles of wastefrom the oil, and other forei matter, from drying on or adhering to tnscreen, thus clogging it, and further, when air pressure is applied tothe top of the tank 10 to discharge the contents thereof, the action isto dislodge these particles of foreign matter from the bottom of thescreen, thus cleansing the screen and keeping it free for the dischargeof the oil through it. It will further be observed that the location ofthe out-let in the tapering bottom of the tank 10 allows for blowing outor draining the tank each time that the air pressure is applied. As thesewage or drainage rushes i-nto the tank 10 through the` inlet 12, theparticles of oil are thrown for the moment downward and in everydirection through the body of water below the screen 21, but theyinstantly rise thr gh the water and ass into the said oil body above thesame, rom which they gradually flow out through the pipe 15. This oilbody is maintained above the sewage inlet, so that the separation isfacilitated by the natural tendency of the oil and water, namely, thewater to descend from the inlet 12 and the oil to rise from the same.This relative location of the parts is very important in dealing withthe separation of drainage from such establishments as motor garages,where bodies of 4water laden with `all manner of impurities are receivedin the separator. In addition to the oils there is a heavy percentage ofsand and muck, and the location of the inlet below the oil body of thescreen avoids any contact between the screen and these heavy particlesof foreign matter. The screen` has only to dispose of the buoyantforeign matter such as match sticks, cotton waste, paper and the like,and this is amply provided for by the location of the screen in the oilbody substantially horizontally, and the arrangement of the air supplyso that it blows downward, clearing such matter away from the body ofthe screen on each air application.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. An apparatus fordisposing of oil-laden drainage, comprising a reservoir with an inletintermediate its vertical length and an outlet at its lower portionbelow the inlet, means for maintaining the drainage in the reservoir ata fixed level, an oil outlet means from the reservoir above vsaid leveland above the inlet whereby a body of oil is maintained in the reservoirover the drainage level and above thev inlet, and a separator devicelocated in the reservoir in the said body of oil and between thereservoir e'-` inlet and thebil outlet means.

2. An apparatus for disposing of oil-laden drainage, comprising areservoir,with an inylet intermediate its vertical length and an outletat its lower;portion below the inlet, means for maintaining the draina ein the reservoir at a fixed level, an oil out et means from thereservoir above said level and above the inlet whereby a body of oil ismaintained in the reservoir over the drainage level and above the inlet,and a separator device located in the reservoir in the said body of oiland between the reservoir inlet and the oil outlet means, said separatordevice comprisin a screen disposed substantially horizontal y across thereservoir in said body of oil. r

3. An apparatus for disposing of oil-laden drainage, comprisin areservoir with an outlet intermediate its vertical length and an outletat its lower portion below the inlet, means for maintaining the drainagein the reservoir at a fixed level, an oil outlet means from thereservoir above said level and above the inlet whereby a body of oil ismaintained in the reservoir over the drainage level and above the inlet,and a separator device located in the reservoir in the said body of oiland vbetween the reservoir inlet and the oil outlet means, and a branchor return pipe leading back Ifrom the oil outlet means to the reservoir`below the level of the said body of oil to return to the reservoirsudden overflows :from 'the same.

4. An apparatus for disposing of oil-laden drainage, comprising areservoir with an inlet intermediate its vertical len h and an outlet atits lower portion be ow the inlet, means for maintaining-the drainage inthe reservoir at a fixed level, an oil outlet means from the reservoirabove said level and above the inlet whereby a body of oil is maintainedin the reservoir over the drainage level and above the inlet, and aseparator device located in the reservoir in the said body of oil andbetween the reservoir inlet and the oil outlet means, and means forsupplying air pressure to the top of the tank or reservoir above thesaid separator device for the purpose specified. l

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE V. ELLIS.

